Alyssa Hodder, Author at Word on Benefits

International Women’s Day: Women in Leadership

Alyssa Hodder

07 Mar 202408 Mar 2024

International Women’s Day is an ideal time to pause and reflect on the status of women in the workforce—both how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go to achieve true gender equality. In this blog, Alyssa Hodder interviews […]

Canada Employee Benefits Prescription Drugs Wellness

Benefit Trends Making Headlines: What to Know Now

Alyssa Hodder

01 Nov 202301 Nov 2023

Weight loss drugs have remained the headlines for most of 2023 due to their impact on diseases like obesity and diabetes. We asked Barbara A. Martinez, National Practice Leader, Drug Solutions at Canada Life to share her insights on benefit trends, GLP-1 […]

Canada Communication Employee Benefits U.S.

AI and Emerging Technologies in the Workplace: An Interview With Dr. Tracey Wilen

Alyssa Hodder

09 Aug 202325 Jan 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the future of work has been dominating the headlines since the launch of ChatGPT. We spoke with Dr. Tracey Wilen to get her perspective on managing technology in the workplace and its effect on different […]

Canada Diversity and Inclusion Education Employee Benefits Global Benefits Health Care Insurance LGBTQ+

Rethinking Gender: How Benefit Plans, Sponsors and Trustees Can—And Must—Adapt

Alyssa Hodder

15 Mar 202315 Mar 2023

How does the move toward greater diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) impact benefits plans? It’s a game changer, but there are still hurdles that the group insurance industry needs to overcome. A panel at the International Foundation’s Canadian Health and Wellness Innovations […]

Communication Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Flexible Work Options Work Life Balance

Three Major Workplace Trends You Can’t Ignore

Alyssa Hodder

27 Sep 202227 Jan 2023

What a time it’s been. A global pandemic, wars, monkeypox . . . in some ways, it feels like we’ve been living in a movie. I can’t watch disaster movies anymore―which I used to love―because they hit too close to home now. […]

Communication Diversity and Inclusion Employee Benefits Human Resources (HR) U.S. Wellness

How to Create a More Inclusive Environment for Indigenous Peoples

Alyssa Hodder

12 Jul 202212 Jul 2022

An interview with Kelly Lendsay, president & CEO of Indigenous Works, provides practical tips for organizations to navigate the complex world of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Alyssa HodderDirector, Education and Outreach – Canada Keeping Up With The Word on Benefits:

Canada Compliance Education Employee Benefits Legislative

Parlez-vous français? What Bill 96 Means for Employers

Alyssa Hodder

03 Jun 202203 Jun 2022

Quebec recently passed Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec, which modifies the Quebec Charter of the French Language. Designed to support and promote the primary status of the French language in the province of Quebec, this […]

Canada Diversity and Inclusion Employee Benefits Insurance Pensions Retirement

Is Your Plan Evolving with Gender Norms?

Alyssa Hodder

22 Mar 202222 Mar 2022

Diversity, equity and inclusion has become a critically important consideration, but a lot needs to change in the pension and benefits industry to adequately address it. This Q&A with Karen DeBortoli, Director, Knowledge Resource Centre and Canadian Privacy Officer with Buck, explores […]

Canada Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Education (Canada) Financial Wellness Pensions

Tackling Canada’s Retirement Crisis: An Interview With Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald

Alyssa Hodder

31 Jan 202217 Feb 2023

Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald is the director of financial security research at the National Institute on Ageing (NIA), Ryerson University(Toronto). She is also a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA) and the resident scholar at Eckler Ltd. Her research focuses on the […]

Canada Communication Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Flexible Work Options Voluntary Benefits Wellness Work Life Balance

How Can We Get People Back? Return to Workplace Tips

Alyssa Hodder

02 Dec 202102 Dec 2021

After months of planning, you and your HR team are finally implementing your organization’s return-to-the-workplace strategy. You feel you have been deliberate and thoughtful in your approach, and you’ve been clear and timely in your communications so that your people know what […]